A Quick Guide to Punctuation

A QUICK GUIDE TO PUNCTUATION Punctuation may seem like a small thing: After all, what’s so bad about one, teeny-tiny misplaced comma or the occasional wayward apostrophe? Nobody pays attention to   that stuff, right? Wrong. Bad punctuation – whether it’s in your web copy, your newsletter, or even in an email to a prospective client – is a credibility killer, plain and simple. In most cases, all it takes is a careful proofreading job to avoid common punctuation mistakes. Not sure when to use an apostrophe or where to place a comma? Read on for a quick guide to good punctuation: Plurals vs. Possessives This is one of the most common mistakes out there. A plural noun means â€Å"more than one† – in most cases, you add an â€Å"s† to the end of the word. For example: Most of my clients work in the oil and gas industry. In this sentence, we’re talking about more than one client. So, we add an â€Å"s†. A possessive noun shows ownership – you usually add an apostrophe and an â€Å"s†. For example: My client’s latest advertising campaign won an award. In this sentence, we’re talking about the advertising campaign that belongs to your client. So, it’s possessive. Commas Not sure if your sentence needs a comma? You’re not alone. Commas are often misplaced, misused, and downright abused by well-intentioned folks who just didn’t know any better. Here are a few guidelines for when – and how – to use commas correctly. In lists, commas help keep information separate. For example: She put butter, milk, pancakes, and eggs on the table. Without the commas to separate the items, we wouldn’t be sure if we had â€Å"buttermilk† or â€Å"buttermilk pancakes.† When using conjunctions, commas help prevent run-on sentences. For example: I went to the store, and then I went home. When you join two sentences (â€Å"I went to the store† and â€Å"I went home†), a comma helps keep your message clear. Keep in mind that if you’re not dealing with two complete sentences, you don’t need a comma. For example: Our products are great and affordable. You don’t need a comma because you’re not joining two complete thoughts (â€Å"Our products are great.† – complete sentence. â€Å"And affordable† – not a complete sentence). The next time you post a blog or update your web copy, do a quick punctuation check to make sure that you’re not sending the wrong message. And, just for fun, my â€Å"Bad Punctuation of the Week† award goes to my apartment complex, who recently posted this sign at the entrance of the parking lot: â€Å"TENANT’S PARKING ONLY† That lucky tenant. Wonder where the rest of us are supposed to park.

ONE-VOTE, ONE-VALUE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA essays

ONE-VOTE, ONE-VALUE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA essays ONE-VOTE, ONE-VALUE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA "As nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's" . One-vote, one-value means that each vote in an election is weighted equally, irrespective of whom that vote came from. This is an electoral system used in many democratic governments, and every state in Australia other than Western Australia. In the Western Australian electoral system, votes are weighted differently depending on which district they are from. This is called malapportionment. Votes from rural regions are weighted more heavily than those from urban areas. There have been many attempts at introducing the one-vote-one-value system in Western Australia, but all have failed. This is due mostly to the views of conservative parties and those of voters in these rural areas. It is because of this that it is said the notion of one-vote-one-value is a myth in the Western Australian legal system, meaning that it never has existed and it is not likely that it ever will. Howe ver, there is much support for the one-vote-one-value system, and dislike for the current system, and the popularity of the new system means that introducing one-vote-one-value in Western Australia is possible, even though it is unlikely. A one-vote-one-value system is an electoral system that is designed to achieve fairness in the representation of parties and voters. It does so because the number of elected representatives is proportional to the number of votes received by a party or candidate. A one-vote-one-value system would eliminate gerrymanders (the geographical division of electoral districts designed to give unfair advantages in one-party elections ) and give fairer representation of the people. Since democracy is based around equalising the power of all individuals, it is thought that one-vote-one-value is a vital system to be used. Heavier weighting of votes from rural areas in WA is thought to discri...

Financial Markets and Institutions, Part 2 Essay

Financial Markets and Institutions, Part 2 - Essay Example Financial institutions on the other hand makes the trade to run smoothly through rendering of loans, grants and other financial aids to firm and individual. Additionally, financial bodies accept the deficit units therefor enabling investors to access capital to establish companies and industries. Question 1. Analyze the role financial market playing creating economic wealth in the U.S. In the economy of United States of America financial markets plays several roles. This markets are usually seem to the backbone to American economy this is because many people in this country are wealth merchants who spend most of their time in business activities. With respect to their economy, trader maximizes the financial markets opportunity wisely in order to stabilize the economy of this country. The financial markets controls and transfers money from the persons with excess money with the needy ones. They help the students from difference institution to get loan, which they use to pay their scho ol fees, it also helps the government to get capital for its expenditure, business people are able to get funds and expand their operations. In order financial market to have funds to rent to the needy persons, business and households should be willingly to supply the excess funds to the financial market. ... Financial market gives them money in order they can use. For instance, student who are deficit units often borrows money from the financial markets to support themselves through their academic period, therefore in return after they get employed the excess/surplus tend to become surplus units through investment. But, after some years they may become deficit units by purchasing valuables such as homes. This is because at this duration they may be able to access good amount of money from financial institution (Madura, 2012). Investors access money from financial market through dispensing of securities which act as claim on the issuer. Borrowed funds are represented as debt thus they are known as debt securities. The excess unit that are bought as debt securities are called creditors because they get interest according to the basic duration. All debt securities have the maturity date, the time in which surplus units can be accessed or redeemed in order to earn the principal value from th e deficit units. Another, type of security is an equity security also known as stock. Stock represents the owner of a business. Most of the business prefer to give stock more than debit security if they require money, nevertheless the required fund sometimes might not be financially able to make a periodic payments on interest for the debt securities (Madura, 2012). Financial markets are classified according to the amount of fund they give inform of loans and grants. These classifications involves, primary versus secondary markets, accommodating corporate finance need and finally accommodating investment needs. Primary verses secondary market supports an issuance of current securities where else secondary markets enable the existing businesses to grow that results to smooth